The Lakeland Jazz Festival was founded by retired professor and music department Coordinator Charles M. Frank in 1973 and remains the oldest jazz festival in the State of Ohio. The Lakeland Jazz Festival has remained true to its original mission of instilling the excitement and magic of jazz education to the younger generation of musicians. Over 25,000 middle and high school musicians from throughout the state have participated in the festival in celebration of this uniquely American art form, jazz. The festival features two parts: serving the schools and festival artists.